The start of my first AAR (please go easy guys ), as well as my first try on this scenario. I choose to play this scenario on the German side with standart settings. Here we go!

Set-up phase, it seems that we have an English infantry force ready to storm my positions. The "Engelese" loved to start a fight at night so I braced myself for a long night. The I.1 Btn will defend the village of Fontenay le Manion with the support of the 4.22 Pz Coy, the infantry is already dug-in, leave it there, but the Pz Coy has no LOS on the North-East, it will move forward to defend the outskirts of the village and support the forward Grenadier Coy. A good sight for it's fellow infantrymen. Same situation on the northern village of Verrieres, the Grenadiers will improve their positions while the 7.22 Pz Coy will move forward. Ok, the orders seemed to be clear, panzer marsch!

First contact with the ennemy soon after 00h30, mainly infantry units but the intelligence reports are not very accurate. My Panzer companies have barely occupied their new positions but the Grenadiers with the support of our artillery units are giving them a sweet taste of steel. Don't get too enthousiastic it's only the beginning, my HQ staff seems to be a bit cautious about the english moves

D1 02h20, New reinforcements. 101 Schwere Abtn will drive to Rocquantcourt and will be able to support the defense of both villages with it's 3 companies. The ennemy made it's first move. A force of infantry/armoured units is trying to size the 2 villages. Our two Battalion HQs report heavy fighting in the outskirts of the two objectives. So far our Grenadiers are holding their ground.

1 Bn Pz AA is to defend the Amaye sur Orne crossing, this should avoid being outflanked by the South-West and from the hill near Amaye sur Orne,the batallion should have a clear view on the ennemy rear echelon.

D1 04h20, a new day is about to start. Our units are holding their ground on both objectives against a mechanised assault without taking too many casualties despite some heavy shelling from the brit arty. Two units seems to have sneaked around our positions during the night, damned recce units. Our artyllery is giving them a good pounding though, their progression seemed a bit stopped. 1 Pz AA reached its positions without delay and has dug-in on the south side of the Orne, the units will use the terrain to its maximum advantage, woods and river are a nice obstacle for an armored unit trying to fight its way on the other side!!! 101 Schwere Abtn is now ready to support both villages with one company already in fontenay le Marmion, the two other companies are ready to move to Verrieres were the infantry is engaging a lot of armored units. Let's hope the allied aviation will not stop their move in the open.

D1 09h00, every reinforcement unit is rushing forward but the enemy close air support is making it pricy. The enemy is trying to breakthrough my lines with its armored units. My staff will keep two Pz Gren Btn in reserve, one in the village of Caillouet, the other one near the village of Hubert-Folie. We hope those two units will be able to intercept / outflank any enemy units breaking through. The Recce Btn is holding its objective against a mechanised battalion. The two armored units who broke through during the night were dealt with, no more enemy units running loose in my rear echelon, that’s good news.

I’m wondering, how a regimental HQ is able to recover after routing with only 5 men left? Or my intelligence reports are a bit wrong!

D1 12h00. I can't believe we have been fighting for "only" 12 hours. The enemy just keep on despite tremendous losses. We now have one, very clear, enemy assault axe along the objectives of Verrieres and Fontenay le Mamion. No attempt to outflank our positions by the west, those Brits are pretty stubborns! Our Recce unit is still holding Le Pont despite some heavy shelling, it seems that using the terrain on our advantage works pretty well. One enemy unit was spotted moving between Clinchamps sur Orne and Bretteville sur Laize. Is it a recce mission, leading the way to a mechanised battlegroup on its way to Bretteville? Situation unclear.

A bit wary about commiting the reserve batallions during the day, the Brit artillery and close air support are eveywhere and are making every move costly.

We managed to hold the line despite a major attack on our objectives. II.1 Pz Btn and III.2 Pz Gren Btn went into hasty defensive positions, despite heavy shelling and Brit close air support, just in time to stop the enemy units to break in between the two villages. A task force trying to sneak by Le Pont crossing was also stopped and routed but at a great cost (5 Panthers).

The enemy was also denied the Amaye sur Orne crossing.

Intel seemed a bit concerned about units movements on the west side of the river. Well, nothing I could do about it for the moment, I.1 Gren Btn is now my only reserve, they finished reorganizing after a nice withdrawal from Fontenay le Marmion.

None of our units surrendered of were destroyed while a lot of British troops were captured.

New attack on Fontenay le Marmion, despite some losses our troops managed to hold firm. Every unit available is now rushing to counter that major push but they are pretty exhausted now... The British commander seemed to throw a lot of units in this attack, the 29th Arm Bde HQ surrendered to our troops and our Tiger Coy in Fontenay routed the 11 Arm Div HQ.

I'm desperate of any reinforcements and supply, ammo are running low!!!

I know, I can hear you screaming, it’s treason, not fair…. The point is I got a bit bored about this very static defensive line around the 2 villages, seeing my units butchered by the limey’s shells didn’t help either. So I went a bit back, couple of hours. Here we go.

Gentlemen, it’s time to show the Brits a bit a movement warfare. Here it is.

The 2 Gren Btn defending the villages are to attack the enemy lines NW of Fontenay. I Btn 1 Pz Reg and the 101 Coy Schwere Abt will provide the mobile support.

III.2 Gren Btn will take the defensives positions of I.2 Gren Btn to provide some support from the village.

1 Eng Btn will launch simultanealously an attack on the crossing 2 km NW from its position, that should attract a bit of the opposing forces.

I.1 gren Btn will leave its rear position and will sweep around our forces in order to hold the crossing south of Bully and destroy any enemy forces who withdraw in the sector.

Arty Support: All units available will be commited to support the attack.

Timing: No later than 02h00, let’s use the night to our advantage (better to avoid the worst of the arty and CAS).

Situation at D2 09h15:

The attacks went quite well, our forces managed to attack, almost all together, the british units who established defensives positions 1 km NW of Fontenay before sunrise. they did some progress at night at broke the enemy lines, many units surrendered, a few were destroyed. We had to withdraw back to our former defensive positions under constant shelling from the enemy artillery (they should have a full arty division on the other side, remind me to send my S2 staff to the East Front after the battle).

Losses: 2 units surrendered due to some very heavy shelling.

So now we are back to the "hold" positions but we did a big swoop among the enemy units, not bad.

So the 21 Pz Div is here, maybe to save the day??? I have a bad feeling about the enemy plan of action, Monty could be a real .... and he seems to have access to endless units

My intention:

The 21 Pz Div will hold my right flank against any infiltration. In order to achieve this mission, the commander will establish defensives positions from Bellengreville (East of the map) to the village of Hubert-Folie hold by the II.2 Btn PzGr Reg.

We suvived onather day. The enemy is still pressing on Fontenay (since the beginning that's being stubborn). New offensive, as foressen, on the NE. the 21 Pz Div had barely enough time to set up some hasty positions and all hell break loose, again, on them.

All reserves commited, most of the units are dead tired. I can't believe the Brits are still able to press on!!!

Last day was a nightmare. All reserves comited , artyllery units almost out of ammo and an airborne assault behind my lines. Sweet.

Anyway, here it is.

I did it but not without a lot of sweat, and curses

Did some mistakes, for sure. Maybe I shoudn't have hold Fontenay at all cost, my unit there was overrun but on the other hand, leaving those positions would have given an nice highway for the enemy armor. I would not have survive that one, it would have been a crushing defeat instead of a victory....

Saw also some silly things from the AI. enemy units routing through my lines and even through my units. German units assaulting a position with the IG Platoon on the lead... Anyway, great game, lot of fun. I'll do it again in a while, on the Allied side.